Ides of March and Trump beware, it’s National Everything You Think Is Wrong Day

Et tu Brute? Beware the Ides of March. It’s a day cloaked in infamy and the assassination of the Emperor Julius Caesar, a turning point in Roman history; March 15, 44 B.C.E.

Let that be a lesson to you, Donald Trump. Time for you to go to prison. But we digress.

And, according to the Smithsonian Museum, a lot of other notable events have taken place today in history.

CBS canceled the “Ed Sullivan Show” in 1977.

In 1988, NASA reported that the ozone layer over the Northern Hemisphere had been depleted three times faster than predicted.

Rain fell in 1952 on the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion—and kept falling, hard enough to register the world’s most voluminous 24-hour rainfall: 73.62 inches. That’s the equivalent of about 7 1/2 years of rain at Escondido.

A 1360 French raid on the English Coast.  A Samoan cyclone in 1889 that wiped out three American and three German warships. Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939. A deadly blizzard struck the Great Plains in 1941. And who could forget the 2003 global health scare emanating from the declaration of the SARS virus on this day by the World Health Organization?

National Everything You Think Is Wrong Day. You listening Donald Trump?

All well and not so good, but March 15 also features several other notable ways to stop this day and contemplate, according to the — Authoritative? — National Day Calendar.

Sharing the stage this day, among other notable celebrations, are National Pears Helene Fay, National Shoe the World Day and National Kick Butts Day, the latter not what one might imagine doing to Trump, but referring to something else equally nefarious, cigarettes.

And, as the headline more than implies, it’s National Everything You Think Is Wrong Day, perhaps a more appropriate homage to the man who took the Russian golden shower in a Moscow hotel room, allegedly.

“March 15th recognizes Everything You Think Is Wrong Day, a day where decision making should be avoided, as your thoughts are (according to the founder of this holiday) wrong,” The National Day Calendar authors said. “It is also a day created for some people to realize that they are not always right.”

Then again, as Jerry Seinfeld famously told George Costanza during an episode titled “The Opposite” — “If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.”

Hey Trump: Taking notes?

Some advice for the rest of you, today, from the good old calendar folk: “While starting a conversation, one might want to avoid using the words ‘I think.’ Everything You Think Is Wrong Day may be a time for all to contemplate our own lack of knowledge. It is okay that one does not know everything, and if there is a need to feel as if you do, hold on. Tomorrow will be here soon, and then once again, you can think that you do.”

While the day’s origins are murky, it’s simple to observe. Hashtag the sucker: #EverythingYouThinkIsWrongDay to post on social media.

It’s a day for open minds, made talking to someone whose politics differ from yours. Although that’s probably a bridge too far when it comes to Trump flunkies.

Also On This Day: 

• Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after his 1st trip to the Americas (1493)
• South Carolina became the 1st American colony to declare independence from England & establish its own government (1776)
• Rolls-Royce Limited was incorporated (1906)
• Baseball pitcher Cy Young retired (1912)
• President Woodrow Wilson held the 1st open presidential news conference (1913)
• The American Legion was founded in Paris, France (1919)
• The 1st blood bank was formed; Chicago, IL (1937)
• Billboard published its 1st album chart (1945)
• The 1st T.G.I.Friday’s opened; New York City (1965)
• The U.S. Mint stopped buying and selling gold (1968)
• The 1st domain name was registered – symbolics.com (1985)
• The United States Department of Veterans Affairs was established as a Cabinet position(1989)

Have no fear when the clock strikes midnight for Thursday, March 16 is another day and, as such, another day filled with celebrations enlightened if obscure.

That means No Selfies Day — THANK YOU!

Also, Freedom of Information Day and Black Press Day (consider paying for journalism), St. Urho’s Day (a real Minnesotan’s holiday, for the fake patron saint of the Finns, to rival that of the Irish), Lips Appreciation Day (smooch), Artichoke Hearts Day.

Then, there’s March 17 and a day most everyone always remembers; St. Patrick’s Day, not St. Patty’s Day. Get ready for green beer, corned beef and cabbage and a celebration of all things Irish.

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HERE’S MORE FROM THE NATIONAL DAY CALENDAR ON MARCH 15 CELEBRATORY DAYS…

NATIONAL PEARS HELENE DAY

March 15th is National Pears Hélène Day.  This food holiday is about the delicious smooth French dessert combining warm poached pears, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Pears Helene is a dessert made from pears poached in sugar syrup and served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and crystallized violets. It was created around 1864 by Auguste Escoffier and named after the operetta La belle Hélène by Jacques Offenbach. 

Over time, simpler versions of Pears Hélène have been modified by substituting poached pears with canned pears and the delicate crystallized violets have been replaced with sliced almonds.  These modifications have made it easier for more cooks to prepare this must-have dessert. 

FUN PEAR FACTS:

• There are more than 3,000 varieties of pears grown in the world.
• Washington, Oregon and Northern California grow more than 95% of the pears that are sold in the United States.
• California grows 60% of all Bartlett pears in the United States.
• Pears ripen best off of the tree.
• Pears are an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as copper, fiber and potassium.
• Pears are less allergenic than many other fruits.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy this delicious recipe: Pears Belle Helene recipe.

Use #NationalPearsHeleneDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Our research was unable to find the creator or the origin of National Pears Hélène Day.

NATIONAL SHOE THE WORLD DAY

National Shoe The World Day is observed annually on March 15th.

Each day over 500 million children, teens and adults around the world do not have a pair of shoes to wear, and despite the terrain and the climate, they have to walk barefoot everywhere. It is a struggle each day that we cannot begin to imagine.  Having to live a daily life without protection on your feet can lead to a lifetime of problems including pain, injury, cuts, sores, infections, parasites, banning from schools and other places and the list goes on.

It is sad to say that we will call this lucky, but there are a few that are fortunate enough to have one pair of shoes even though they are much too big for them.  This way, their shoes will last for many years, as they grow, and they are only allowed to be worn for very special occasions.  In other cases, they may have one pair of shoes that are too small and tight for them (they will make them work) but to have a pair at all is a luxury.

HOW TO OBSERVE

National Shoe The World Day is a day created to bring awareness, to everyone across the nation, of the incredible need to help those people around the world that do not have shoes to wear and then to take action in helping. Use #NationalShoeTheWorldDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

National Shoe The World Day was inspired by Donald Zsemonadi and the United Indigenous People in Fontana, California in March of 2014.

NATIONAL KICK BUTTS DAY

National Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism that empowers youth to stand out, speak up and seize control against Big Tobacco. Events are organized around the United States by teachers, youth leaders and health advocates to help raise awareness of the problems of tobacco.   The Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse is participating in this national awareness day in local schools through creative activities aimed at continuing conversations about healthy lifestyles.

For more information, visit www.cadasb.org about the programs of the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and www.kickbuttsday.org to learn more about National Kick Butts Day.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Stand against tobacco and use #NationalKickButtsDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Kick Butts Day is organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and sponsored by the United Health Foundation. The first Kick Butts Day was held in 1996.